1931-11-27 — Page 7

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21

HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1931.

Naval Court Martial

STRANDING OF PETERSFIELD: 'N.O..

SEVERELY REPRIMANDED.

C.-IN-C.'S TRIBUTE TO SHIP'S CREW.

Consequent upon the wrecking of H.M.S. Petersfield on the rocks of Tung Yung Island on the night of November 11, ber Navigating Ofour, Lieut. G. A. H. Pratt, was yesterday court- mirtialled on H.M.S. Medway.

The Court consisted of Captain Laybou (HI, M.S; Kent), Captain Marrack (H.M.8. Midway), Capt. Mackenzie (H. M. S. Tarnstula), Capt Burnett (HELM.8. Bruco), and Commander Morriss (H.M.S. Tamur). The Judge Advocate was, Plymaster Lieut-Commander Wheeler (11.M.S. Medway), while Capt. Godfrey (H. M.S. Suffolk) prosecuted. The accused's Friend was Liaus.-Comdr. Dawse (H.M.S. Berwick).

The tires charges lovelled against Lleut; Pratt were:-

(a) That he did negligently or by default suffer H.M.8.

Petersfield to be lost.

(b) That he did negligantly

Patersold to be stranded, and

by diofault suffer H.M.S.

(c) That he did negligently or by default cause .M.S. Poteradaid to be bazarded,

11

Lieut. Pratt pleaded "Not Guilty to all three charges, and, later in the proceedings, elected to give evidence on his own behall, thereby subjecting aimsel: to a rigorous aross-examination.

After an eloquent address for the defence by Lout. Comda. Dowse, Lieut. Pratt was discharged on the first two counka but was -found guilty on the third-and-was-ordered-to-bo--severelý

reprimanded.

FIRST TRIP AS NAVIGATING OFFICER.

!

The Court Martial was held in the ary for the Navigating Officers to Officers Smoke. Room on the apper consult him before taking soundings, deck of H.X.8. Medway, and was attended with the simple yet un pressive ceremonial connected with such occasion

sec-

113

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from the Bump, that there would be little prospect of getting off. It was a very dark night, but a cliff could be soon, as could breakers on tan port side,

Very Bad Position. Proceeding to the bridge, he found that when the signal lamp was put on, the ship was broad side on to the const, but still "alive" and bumping. The wind was blowing directly on to the coast, and from that position would have been impossible to mau- nouvro the ahip had she been free. In addition to that, in his clear opinion, had it been possible to got the ship off, she would have in médiately foundered in deep water. That the cliffs were genicablo was confirmed when a light was te bo slowly descending the cli face. Having decided that no us ful object could be obtained in tempting to get the ship of pra- paration for evacuation was made.

HOCHI

Admiral Kelly then went on to describe the evacuation and the dangers and risks that "nttended it.

Gallantry of" Officers and Men. Admiral Kelly paid a high tribute to the gallantry of the Officers and men after the grounding. Every body wanted to get everybody else's gear off the ship before his own," he said," and och man wanted to sce the other man safely off the ship, while he remained aboard."

era by a line attached to sha ship at one end and to the shore at the other. Considerable dif culty was

these experienced in koperations owing to the heavy sea, the racks on the shore end of the rope, and the fact that the point ashore where the rope was made faat had to be continually altered owing to the rising tide.

An armed party was landed first of all, and after they had secured the landing Lady and Miss Kelly and the amah wero sout ashore. They were followed by the men's gear, and as time and cther circum. stances permitted. movable

all gear of the ship, such as parts of the wireless apparatus, breach Lieut. Comdr. Mundy.

blocks of the guns, the C.-in-C's Lient-Comdr. H. M. S. Mundy personal effiets and in fact as much haler that he was the offloor of the | of the, gear of the ship as it was At one end of the room, seated rst watch on the night of the possible to save,

The bonts trans behind a long table, were the off stranding of the Petersfield. The porting the salved goods were pull cers comprising the judicial wenther it 10 p.m. was rather mistyed from ship to abore and vice tion of the Court, the sword of the with visibility about six miles. The accused resting on the table

leet its on that watch consisted of front of the President. To the one A.B. on the compass platform right of the main table, and and himself on the bridge. Accused ront of it, was a smaller table at me unto the bridge at 9.30 p.m. which sai the Prosecuting Officer, and said he wished to be called at 3. while de similar table, on the op fade, and wrote down his instrue posite side of the room held the ions in the log-book and signed documents of the Friend of the hem. The Captain did not visit offloor on trial, (At 'n Court.Marthe bridge while witness was on tial the accused is not represented Watch nor were soundings taken by a member of the legal profes during that time. sion, but his defence is gonducted

Llaut.-Comdr. Chichester. by a brother officers this offer is known as his Friend.') The accus- Liont-Comdr. Chichester, said he ed was given a seat a few feet from called the Captain at 12.50, and the 'hig ̈* Fried'd' while seated imma Captain remained on the bridge un- diately behind him was the re-til shortly before the grounding yost Marshall. A staunchion in the when he went down below with the contre of the room was draped with Navigation Officer, who was called bunting and comprised the bar atat 2.20 m.in. When he first called which the witnesses stood to give the Captain. there was a thick fog, evidence.

and the sen was calm. He was The Court Martial having been satisfied that the ship was on a safe formerly declared open, the Judge coure when he took over for his Advocato read the formal report of watch.

,

Satisfied with Navigation.

the Captain of the Petersfield to At the time of the grounding the the Commander-in-Chief with re-visibility was about 2 miles. Wit gard to the wrecking of the vessel, new verified the evidence that the Commander D. C. Lang was call Navigation Officer wrote orders for

being called on a pad, and when od as the first witness,

am, enme witness was going to call him when the Captain intervened He said that on the night of and said: "Let him be for a little while." The look out called accused November 11 he was satisfied that 220 a.m., and he crine to the Link Pratt was conducting the Bidge very shortly after. navigation of the Petersfeld in a proper Dancer, and that he pointed but if the dangers to navigation. in near the ship's course. Hi Sitggested that they should hold on keir cours until e a.m. and than, unless anything, had been seen or bend of Tang Yunny Island, they should anchor or henve-to. Hefore going off watch be (the N.O.) left instructions that he should be call el at gum. unless Tung Yang light was sighted before.

"Dama Well Got to Go On,"

When the NO. was cut consultation in the chart room, and

220," the witness,-"' we had

The Grounding.

Ship Successfully, Abandoned: The party was finally take of

by H.M.S. Suffolk,-which proceed- ad on its destination on the after: noor, of the day following the grounding.

The Defence.

The statement for defence of the - accused was rend-out by the Judge Advocate, in which Licut. Pratt denied all the charges. Ho elected to give evidence on his own behalf, which course laid him open to be cross-examined by the prosecution, of which opportunity Captain God fray took very full advantage.

The Commander in Chief, Ad miral Helly, was then recalled, and in the course of his evidenco bore marked that both the Captain and the Navigator of the Petersfield were inexperienced insofar as tho Chind Son was concerned, and it was also the Navigator's Arst trip as a Navigating Office,

Edwards

Lending Seaman W. and Petty Officer Booth were then called as witnesses for the defence, and gave evidenes of having receive) ed orders to take soundings.

Eloquence of Lt.-Comdr. Dowee.

The cass for the accused, Lieut. Pratt, was auromed up in a most alequent and able speech by his

Friend, Lieut, Comdr. Dowse.

He said:

But

The prosecution has attempted to prove that Lieut. Pratt was to blume for the stranding which led to the Jess of H.M.S. Paterafsïd and that he failed in his duties as laid down

Articia 1302 K.R. & A.I. his Commanding Officer has stated in ovidence that Lieut. Pratt was conducting the navigation of the ship in proper manner and that he pointed out all the dangers in or hen the ship's course to him. There can so little doubt that had: he been enlled at. a.m., when the ship was still in safety, he would have asked the Captain if he was Prepared to go on, as in fact he did ak when he was called about 2.95: The Commanding Officer has also stated that Lieut. Pratt hud speci- fually advised him that it would be unsafe to continue on the present L.M., when his course after y estimated position put him six miles from Tung Yung light.

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Banks, $1,578: Realties, $19. Twos, Ts. 15.90, Electrics, $70. Telephones (part paid), $201. Constructions (new), #2.

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13

The prosecution has assorted that no allowance was made for the N.E. Banks, $1,073. monsoon drift. But, Lieut. Pratt. Raubs, 843. has given evidence that he had made

Venezuelan Goldfalds, "$25. a enreful study of the tidal streams, and he chacked their actual diree- Evos, s. 16. tion and rate by land fixes. These Constructions (old), 83.20. observations, as he has said, in- dicated that the ebb, or south-going

AFTERNOON SESSION. stream, in spite of the fact that the

Prices were well maintained dur N. Emonsoon drift would have been assisting it, was actually of varying the day, with special enquiries shert duration, probably about three for China Lights. Wharves, Tule hours. He was therefore led to the phones. (part paid) and Providenta

that the morth-going conclusion

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ADVERTISEMENT

Commenting on certain sections of the Captain's report, the O-in.C. said that the proposed alteration of course by 90 degrees to port would have brought the ship head on to a heavy sea and awell, and would have caused what in hieIN THIS PAPER TO-DAY opinion, would have been unneces sary suffering and discomfort to all The ultimate position on board, desired by the N.O. would, he thought, he arrived at without such a great nateration of course and without danger.

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!! This

With regard to the suggestion that the ship should steer for Tung Yong Island until 2 a.m. and then anchor or heave-to. suggestion was not conveyed to me," Raid Admiral Kelly, "and would not have been approved by me if it had been so conveyed. Conditions Referring to the actual ground-were most unsuitable for anchoring

or laying-to." ing witness said he saw a line of white breakers on the Port bow, and immediately ordered the helm to he put hard-a-port, and the engines to he stopped and then to be put full astern. He shouted to the Captain, who was then in the chart room, rocks on the port beam.' The Captain came on to the bridge and said, "Carry on, I can see noth

ing

"

?

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stream would affect the ship more than the south-going. In spite of this he also took the precaution of allowing to knots on the chart, though the revolutions would give 11.8 knots through the water.

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Wharves, $159, Providents (old), "$5.

Providents (new), $2.55/2:50.

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Star Ferries, 805,

Dements (combined), $191.

Constructions (new), $2.08/5,10. Constructions (old), 80.

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Telephones (purt paid), $28). Constructions (old), 88.00.

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Hotels (oid), $15.30. Realties, $12.30.

2a.m. than to join the Captain on the Bridge..

We therefore submit that the pro- sccution has failed to prove that Liout. Pratt was in any way guilty of the negligence or default, which led to the hazarding, stranding or losing of H.M.8. Petorsfeld.

First Trip as X.O. - All the evidence at his disposal Captain Godrey, in summing up went to prove that the N.E. moon-

the case for the prosecution, said very weak. In the vicinity of the fault for his failure to take sound- soon drift was either not acting or

in passing that the accused was at Petersfeld's position on Cartent Chart No. 2840 in the publicationings immediately the ship encoun

Mateorological Charts of tered fag. The vessel was World," the rate of the current is

the

The fact that the information in

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course that would take her direct to a rocky island of considerable

this book and the information in prouch-in-much-a-way that a very the China, Pilot, Vol. V, differ so wide front would be shown. A wise materially, suggests that, the in-navigating officer would have stand- formation is quite anreliable. It is, ing orders that be should be called to allow more than 0.2 knots for therefore submitted that his failure at any serious change in the weather or visibility: had this been so in unfety was in ny way due to nog-the present case Lieut. Pratt would have been called and would have ligenes, but amounted at the most

been on deck at 1 a.m., when no to an error of judgment. "It was also this officer firat trip as Navi-doubt the ship might have been

saved. gating-Officer of any ship.

The Weather at 10.15 p.m Continuing, the C-in-C said that he wont to the bridge before purn- ing in to see what orders were stand ing for the night, and he found that both the Captain and Navigate were below, resting. They had had a long day in bad weather, and had Commander Lang went on to say

a disturbed night in front of them, that when thas timi arrived he gave

and he did not think it necessary to The ship still had headway on orders that the N.O. should not ba

disturb them. The time was then called just then, as he knew what her when the witness sighted a rock phont 10.15 p.m. and the visibility he wanted and thought he could dead ahead. She struck with her was moderate, and in view of that sarve no useful purpose by coming port bow, and scraped alt along the he had little doubt that Tung Yung on the bridge at that time. Also port side, and then grounded on Light would be sighted. He told hu knew that the N.O. bad had a her whole length to port. The the Officer of the Watch to call him trying time for the past two days, Navigation Officer shouted There at 3 am, if the light had not then and bad another trying day in front must be water astern" buz gimcst been sighted, or if and when the shown as from 0-30 miles a day. extent, and which she would ap of him, when the Fuochow pilotage at once a report, came from the light was nighted, as by 3 mm. the would have to be navigated, and heatern that the port propeller had ship would have been past the island wished him to obtain as much rest struck. The shock was felt all over and he wanted to know the plans as possible.

the ship.

of the Captain and Navigating Witness said that had the helm Officer for approaching the coast been kept amidships and any other if the light had pot been sighted.

Admiral Kally said he received different orders been given the ship could not have been prevented from ne communications from either of striking, as she was too near the these officers from 6.30 p.m. until

after the ship had struck.

Ship Badly Holed. Evidence as to weather conditicus Lieut. R. B. Halliwell, Engineer was given by Able Seamen Wright, Officer of the Petersfield, gave evi When the attention of witness was Denkin, Collins, Lusher and Din- dence of the damage sustained in omitted to take soundings as direst- At the conclusion of the summing- drawn to a patch of discolouredner.

ed by K.R, & A.I. art. 1902. Evi- [up of the prosecution the Court was Deakin said that he was about the strunding. water on the chart and asked what to call the Navigating Officer at at the best bump, after which the the bridge at 2.25, Lieut. Pratt sidered. The Judges consulted for He said the engine room was holed dance has shown that on arrival on. cleared for the verdict to be con. it would convey to him he said that 2am. when Commander Lang i- in the China Sen, it would convey exposed and said, No, don't call ship slipped forward and further asked for soundings, and the as early an hour before coming to vory little. Ho had experienced patches of discoloured water in the him, I know what he wants, it will compartments were holed. The ship sumption is that he would have done their decision, and when the Court waa bumping on the propeller the same at 2 am. had he been call- was again thrown open it was seen Estuary of the Peiho River, and had do in about 20 minutes time,

A.B. Collins, who was on watch shaft, and water was coming ined then. In point of fact, sound-that the sword of the accused officer ordered the ongines of his vessel to at the time of the grounding, said ings through which the shafts pro Dog Watches, which was the only an unfavourable verdict, that is to through the stern glands (the Bearings were taken during the previous Wes in the position that indicated go full speed astern, only to find his awakened the Navigating Offcreet from the ship into the water), time when they were of value in the say, it was resting on the table with that the water was perfectly navigat 2.20 a.m.

When he left the ship the after ward navigation of the ship.

its point towards him. were flooded. room and the steering compartments Liout Pratty heaides being the The Court found that the third Navigating Officer, was a Watch-charge against Lieut. Pratt, that This closed the case for the pros. Keeping Officer. Then Captain was he did negligently or by default Admiral Kelly's Evidence.

on the bridge during the Middle hazard His Majesty's Ship, Peters: Two impartial Navigating Officers Watch and the thick weather. field, was proved, and he was order Giving details of the actual groun wore instructed by the Court to Lieut. Pratt had to come on watched to be severaly reprimanded: The grounding, the Commander-in-Chie! work out the position, track, etc. at 4 a.m. to keep the morning watch other two charges were dismissed. Admiral Kelly, said when the ship of the Petersfield as laid down by and deal with the difficult pilotaga

Court Martial of Captain. To-day. struck he proceeded to the deck to the accused in his log, and on his to Foochow I submit that it was The Court Martiil of Commander and the Commander-in-Chief. Wit-see what had happened, Before chart, and their ultimate indidg was preferable for him to sleep until neas added that it was not custom going on deck it was obvicus to him,'not in the accused's favour

(Continued on next Column.)

hu asked me if I thought it safe to I replied we've damn well got to go on as the .-in-C., told us

JEU ON.

to

able.

Tides and Currants Discussed. Returning to the question of the Navigating Officer'e wish to bé call- ed at 2 am., witness and the Officer Have, nu reasons for being awakened at this particular time. All quos tions of tides and currents had boot discussed between witness, accused

cliffs.

The Weather.

E.RA. Jenkins, who WAS it charge of the engine, room watch, also gave evidence.

1

cution.

The prosecution also states that he

The Verdict."

D. C. Lang, Captain of the Peters Beid, takes place to-day,

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